Cigar-lighter.



. M. McANENY.

CIGAR LIGHTER. APPLICATION FILED MAR. ll. I9l5- RENEWED 00T- 3| I917.

.Mtented APR-23, 1918.

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.tion. Other. objects and. advantages of my rarer-mar. Memtniw; on y TEN BROEK, or str;

sin. LOUIS, MISSOURI,

ASSIGNOlR, OF ONE-HALF 'I'O GERRIEIL" H. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

CIGAR-LIGHTER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, MICHAEL MQANENY, a citizen of the United States, and resident of St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have. invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Cigar-Lighters, and do hereby declare thatthe following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof. a

The object of my invention is to provide a self-contained flame-producing device especially adapted for cigar lighting of the type having aspark-producing mechanism in the form of a rotary abrading disk and a body of pyrophorous alloy, or other spark-pro. ducing medium, which will be of simple and compact construction so thatit will take up but little room and .will be certain in its acinvention will appear hereinafter when the construction shown in the drawings embodying my invention is explained.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of a cigar .lighter embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view with the casing top removed, parts being shown in section for better illustration;

Fig. 3 a detail view in vertical section on the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a detail view in the snufi'er; V

Fig. 5 is a detail. view in perspective of parts of the cigar lighter.

In the form in which my invention is shown as embodied in the drawings it has the general appearance and proportions of thewell known match box holder used on restaurant and cafe tables and' a desirable feature of my intention is its adaptation to this convenient and compact form, which includes a base in the form of a tray to hold perspective of the device and to receive cigar ashes, but, of course, I donot limit myself to any particular form, or embodiment of my invention. Referring in detail to what is shown in the drawings, 10 is the base in the form of a circular tray, or dish from the center of which arises and is supported an oblong box 11 having the general shape and roportions of a well known form of mate holder and which constitutes a receptacle for some readily inflammable fluid, such as alcohol, or gasolene, and which at its upper end has a centrally located wick tube 12 through which extends the necessary wick 13 that Specification of Letters Patent. I

. Renewed October 3, 1917. Serial No. 194,590.

Patented Apr. 23 mi.

leads from within the box 11, the wick tube projecting above the horizontal partition. in the upper part of the box 11 which provides a chamber at the top of the box. containing the operating mechanism, the top of the chamber being covered by a cap, or cover 14 which may be secured by screws so as tobe readil attached and removed when necessary. xcept for certain few parts which project from the casing it will, therefore, be seen that in general shape and appearance externally my device is that of a neat look.

ing fiat-sided oblong box.

Contiguous to the wick tube in thebo'x chamber, is an igniting, or spark-producing device in the form of an abrading or file wheel 15 mounted to turn freely on the up per end of a stub shaft 16, the periphery of which is engaged by a block, or plug 17, preferably of the well known pyrophorous alloy, said plug being contained in a tube 18 which contains a spring 19 which yieldingly presses the plug against the periphery of the disk with the desired spark-produce ing pressure, the tension of the spring being adjustable by a screw 20 entering the end of the tube on the outside of the box 11, the tube being preferably prolonged, or extended on the outside for the convenient insertion of the pyrophorous alloy plug, when, in consequence of the wearing out of one, another is to be supplied. .On its underside the file disk has ratchet teeth 21 adapted to be engaged by ratchet teeth 22 on a collar 23, slidably and rotatably mounted on the stud shaft and pressed yieldingly upward into engagement with the ratchet teeth on the underside of the disk by a coil spring 24, so that when the collar is revolved in one direction it will revolve the file wheel, and when revolved in the opposite direction the teeth will slip out of engagement with. the ratchet teeth on the.

file ,wheel. The collar has on its periphery 1 gear teeth 25 with which mesh the teeth of a rack bar 26 slidably mounted in the box chamber, it being guided in its sliding movement by some convenient device, such" 29 fastened to and proJecting from the rack bar, and a second tube 30 of greater diameter that protrudes through the end wall of the box 11, and on the outerside thereof has a head 31 in the form of a rounded enlargement on the tube and within the two tubes is a coil spring 32 which acts expansively to thrust and hold the outer'tube outward. It will be seen that when pressure is applied to its head on the outer end it will slide overthe inne tube and compress the spring to.

the desired degree until which time the rack bar is prevented from longitudinal move- :mentby means of a dog 33 in the form of a pivoted arm that has its toothed end in position to overhang a lug 35 on the-rack bar. Said dog is automatically released when the desired pressure on the spring is produced by the inward movement of the outer tube, such release being automatically effected by rack bar thrown forward with the considerelongation of the telescopic device, and,

H to produce the spark and so long as the outer able force which is desired to give'that speed of rotation to the file wheel which is necessary to produce the spark to light the wick. Within the telescopic push device is centrally located a rod 370 conveniently in the form of a screw, which at one end is secured to the outer end of the outer member,'and at its other end passes through the rack lug 35 and a head 38 which forms a stop. to llmit the hence, the outward movement of the outer member under thevexpanding force of the spring within. I

The box cover 14 has immediately above and adjacent the wick, an opening 39 adapted to be closed and which is'normally closed by a hinged plate, or door 40, which is normally held closed by the action of a coil spring 41 applied to the pivot rod42 on the plate which is located on the underside of the cover 14, and the plate is automatically rocked upward so as to uncover the opening by the action of a cam form tail, or arm 43 projecting from the hinged plate on the inside of the casing cover 14 in position to engage a lateral finger, or extension .44 on the inner end of the outer telescopic-membe when the latter is pushed inward for the purpose of compressing the spring and releasingthe rack member of the telescopic push evice is held pressed inward the hinged cove plate will 7 be held in an open position and the flame of the lighted wick will continue to burn. Automatically upon releasing the ush-operating device the hinge plate wi sprin downward and act as a snufi'er to extinguish v the flame.

For the convenient filling of the box 11 with the inflammable fluid, 1t is provided in the top at one corner with a fillin tube 45 which projects through a holein t e top of the box cover, a plu or stopper 46 being provided to close sai filling tube.

N ot' only is my invention, as shown, susceptible of embodiment in an attractive compact form, and one wherein the operation of producing a spark can be performed merely by the pressing inward of what in effect is a push button, but it lends itself splendidly to advertising purposes in an attractive way, as for example, by the application to the box of a label that extends all around the sides of the box and which may readily he slipped on and ofi the same by an endwise movement.

Of course, the form of-the box may be varied so as to give it a shape associated with, or significant of some particular business, and in respect to such matters and other details of construction and the uses to which it maybe put, changes may be made that will be within the scope of the invention as is set forth in the claims. The device may serve as a lamp, it being necessary, merely, after producing the light, to prevent its extinguishment until the desired time.

My lighter, especially when it is used for lighting cigars, is rovlded with a cigar cutter in the form of a knife 460 that is connected with and actuated by the push button device so that when the latter is operated to produce a light simultaneously the knife will be moved tocut the cigar. The knife 46 is carried by a slide 48 guided at its ends in slots 49 in the side walls of a supplemental casing 50 which is secured to one side of the main casing, or box 11 and connected with the knife-carrying slide is a lever 51 at the lower end thereof, the upper end of the lever being in the path of the horizontal extension 52 of the rack bar-26. The cutting edge of the knife is inclined, and in order to give a shearing out which is necessary to enable the knife to act properly, the knife-carrying slide is provided near one of its ends with a -cam 53-on its upper side which passing through the guide slide will cause the knife blade to have a compound movement composed of the longitudinal movement of the slide and a movement in the direction transversely of the longitudinal movement. A spring 51 is provided that yieldingly presses the cam in contact with the upper side of the slide guiding slot. The outer side of the supplemental casing is provided with a hole contiguous to the knife in its retracted position through which the tip of the cigar is thrust when it is to be cut.

Having thus described my invention what I claim -is 1. In a light-producing device, the combination of means for making an igniting spark comprising two elements arranged for frictional engagement, one of which is movable with reference to the other, an actuating device for said movable member, a

motor spring for actuating said movable member, a reciprocable push device acting upon said spring to place it under tension for operation, and means to prevent the action. of the spring upon said movable member until a predetermined tension of the spring has been produced. 7

2. In a light-producing device, the combination of means for making an igniting spark comprising two elements arranged for frictional engagement, one of which is movable with reference to the other, an actuating device for said movable member, a

reoiprocablepush actuated operating device comprising two relatively movable mem-- bers, a movable holding device therefor, and means for automatically releasing said holding device actuated by the forward operat-- ing movement of one of said members.

3. In a light-producing device, the combination ofrmeans for making an igniting frlctional engagement, one of which is movable with reference to the other, an actuating device for said movable member, a motor spring, and a slidable push device telescopically connected with said movable member, said motor spring being interposed between said push device, means for operating said movable member, a.holder to prevent the action of said spring until a predetermined state of tension is produced, and automatic-means to release said holder on the forward operating movement of the push device. 1

frictional engagement, one of which is movable with reference to the other, an acvent the action of said spring until a predetermined state of tension is produced, and automatic means to release said holder, comprising a coacting part on the push device and said holder.

ing said movable member, a'holder to pre-- 6. In a light-producting device, the combination of means for making an igniting spark comprisingtwo elements arranged for frictional engagement, one of which is movable With reference to the other, an actuating device for said movable member, including two telescoping push actuated members, a motor spring within such members whose tension is increased by the action of said push actuated member, means to release said spring to allow it to act, and means for transmitting motion from the spring to said movable member.

7. Ina light-producing device, the combination of means for making an igniting spark comprising two elements arranged for frictional engagement,- a toothed wheel adapted to actuate one of said elements, a

rack bar to actuate said toothed wheel, a

casing in which said rack bar is slidably mounted, means for guiding said rack bar 7 in a rectilinear path, two telescopic members, one of which is connected with said rack bar and the other of which extends to the outside of the casing and is adapted to it, a motor spring interposed between said telescopic members, a latch device adapted to engage a part connected with the rack bar to restrain the latter from movement,

and coasting means on said push operated device and said latch bar to' release the latter.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I v have hereunto set my hand. 5. In a light-producing device, the combi- 'J nation of means for making an igniting-3f spark comprising two elements arranged for MICHAEL MoANENY. 

